Concerns Grow Over Possible Disruption of Supply Chain in West Africa

The deadly Ebola virus spreading through West Africa is sparking fears in the market that supplies of cocoa, one of the region's top exports, could be disrupted.

Prices for the key chocolate ingredient have surged 6.3% this week, settling just shy of the highest level in more than three years on mounting concerns that the outbreak will reach the Ivory Coast or Ghana, which produce about 60% of the world's cocoa. No cases have been reported in either country. But Ivory Coast shares a poorly policed border with Liberia and Guinea,...